Only Connect (2008)

Name: Only Connect
Genre: Game-Show
Rating: 8.1
Cast: Victoria Coren Mitchell

Game-Show

The fiendishly difficult quiz show in which two teams of three contestants have to find the connection between seemingly unrelated clues, where patience and lateral thinking are as vital as knowledge.

IMDb rating: 8.1 (811 votes)
Episode average: 7.7 -0.4 vs IMDb
Seasons: 9
Status: Still airing
Language: EN
Type: TV series

Rating trend: this show's seasons do not settle into one shape. Rising Shows ranks whole shows by the shape of their rating trend rather than one average score, which is how you find a show that got better rather than a show that started well.

Browse shows by rating shape → Open in Rising Shows app → View on IMDb

Ratings refreshed Oct 3, 2026 · 9 seasons indexed

Cast

Victoria Coren Mitchell Self - Host

Seasons

Season 1 (2008)

7.29 avg 8 episodes 7.2 → 7.8 29 min avg

Big finale

Season 1 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Lapsed Psychologists v Knitters	7.2	8
2	Crossworders v Birkbeck Alumni	7.0	6
4	Science Writers v Travel Writers	7.3	7
5	Edinburgh Scrabblers v Solent Scrabblers	7.2	7
6	Urban Cyclists v Country Walkers	7.0	7
7	Bankers v Bookkeepers	7.2	6
14	Bankers v Lapsed Psychologists	7.6	6
15	Crossworders v Lapsed Psychologists	7.8	6

Season 3 (2010)

7.00 avg 5 episodes 8.9 → 6.4 29 min avg

Front-loaded

Season 3 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Archers Admirers v Music Lovers	8.9	9
4	Philosophers v Hitchhikers	6.7	9
10	Brasenose Postgrads v Hitchhikers	6.2	7
14	Hitchhikers v Strategists	6.8	8
15	Gamblers v Strategists	6.4	7

Season 7 (2013)

7.27 avg 3 episodes 7.4 → 7.2 29 min avg

Declining

Season 7 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Corpuscles v Cat Lovers	7.4	6
12	Francophiles v Cartophiles	7.2	6
13	Francophiles v Celts	7.2	6

Season 17 (2021)

7.70 avg 30 episodes 7.6 → 8.2 29 min avg

Rebound

Season 17 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Scrubs v Librarians	7.6	11
2	Gamemakers v Animal Lovers	7.9	8
3	Apollos v Jukeboxers	7.7	7
4	Golfers v Wildlifers	7.7	7
5	Discotheques v Muppets	7.7	7
6	Debuggers v Steelers	7.9	9
7	Ramblers v Woolgatherers	7.8	7
8	Godyn Family v Data Wizards	7.9	9
9	Gamemakers v Scrubs	8.0	8
10	Apollos v Wildlifers	7.8	7
11	Debuggers v Discotheques	6.6	6
12	Godyn Family v Woolgatherers	7.6	8
13	Librarians v Animal Lovers	7.3	8
14	Golfers v Jukeboxers	7.2	7
15	Muppets v Steelers	7.2	7
16	Ramblers v Data Wizards	7.6	8
17	Apollos v Jukeboxers	8.0	6
18	Scrubs v Librarians	7.3	8
19	Godyn Family v Ramblers	8.0	6
20	Steelers v Discotheques	7.8	6
22	Golfers v Scrubs	7.6	6
23	Ramblers v Muppets	7.6	6
24	Data Wizards v Discotheques	7.8	6
25	Christmas: Turophiles v Corkscrews	7.8	6
26	The Birds and the Bees: Birdwatchers v Beekeepers	7.6	6
28	Champions: 007s v Puzzle Hunters	7.4	5
29	Semi-Final 1	7.7	7
30	Semi-Final 2	8.4	8
31	Third-Place Play-Off	8.2	9
32	The Final	8.2	9

Season 18 (2022)

7.66 avg 14 episodes 7.3 → 8.1 29 min avg

Season 18 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Statisticals v Morporkians	7.3	8
2	Jillies v Road Runners	6.8	6
3	Peacocks v Mothers Ruined	6.8	6
4	Cryptics v Strigiformes	7.4	6
13	Jillies v Morporkians	7.8	6
14	Mothers Ruined v Cryptics	8.2	6
15	Cunning Planners v Harlequins	7.8	6
16	Croot Family v Crustaceans	7.4	6
17	Strigiformes v Cryptics	8.0	6
18	Statisticals v Morporkians	8.2	7
19	Scrummagers v Croot Family	7.6	8
29	Christmas: Polyhymnians v Channel Islanders	8.1	7
30	Mystery: Endeavours v Whodunnits	7.7	6
32	Champion of Champions: Dicers v Data Wizards	8.1	7

Season 19 (2023)

7.56 avg 29 episodes 7.1 → 8.7 29 min avg

Big finale

Season 19 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Cribbagers v Gunners	7.1	10
2	Roadies v Stitchers	7.3	11
3	Antiphons v Drop of Red	7.7	10
4	Thrifters v Suncatchers	8.0	9
5	Isotopes v Academicals	7.7	8
6	Also Rans v Gardners	7.5	9
7	Mercians v Volunteers	7.1	8
8	Video Nasties v Solomons Family	7.4	8
9	Roadies v Cribbagers	7.7	7
10	Drop of Red v Suncatchers	7.6	8
11	Academicals v Gardners	7.4	8
12	Solomons Family v Volunteers	7.4	8
13	Stitchers v Gunners	7.2	9
14	Antiphons v Thrifters	7.0	8
15	Isotopes v Also Rans	7.3	8
16	Mercians v Video Nasties	7.4	8
17	Antiphons v Suncatchers	7.7	7
18	Roadies v Stitchers	7.3	7
19	Solomons Family v Video Nasties	7.7	7
20	Isotopes v Gardners	7.3	7
21	Gunners v Suncatchers	8.0	6
22	Thrifters v Stitchers	7.8	7
24	Christmas Special - Relatives v Muppets	7.8	5
26	Boxing - Wrestlers v Arrowheads	8.2	5
28	Isotopes v Mercians	6.7	7
29	Semi-Final 1	7.8	6
30	Semi-Final 2	7.5	7
31	Third Place Play-Off	7.8	7
32	The Final	8.7	7

Season 20 (2024)

7.72 avg 36 episodes 7.7 → 7.8 29 min avg

Season 20 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Al Frescans v Midlanders	7.7	13
2	Hopsters v Sprouters	8.0	13
3	Four Opinions v Bean Farmers	7.5	14
4	Harmonics v Cat Cows	7.8	13
5	Too Many Cookes v Pipe Dreamers	7.7	11
6	Bloomsbury Group v Tea Totallers	8.3	12
7	Third Agers v Introverts	6.9	11
8	Uisge Beathas v Crunchers	7.9	12
9	Hopsters v Midlanders	8.1	12
10	Harmonics v Bean Farmers	7.9	9
11	Pipe Dreamers v Tea Totallers	7.7	9
12	Uisge Beathas v Third Agers	7.9	9
13	Al Frescans v Sprouters	8.0	9
14	Four Opinions v Cat Cows	7.9	7
15	Too Many Cookes v Bloomsbury Group	7.9	9
16	Introverts v Crunchers	7.9	8
17	Harmonics v Cat Cows	7.9	9
18	Hopsters v Al Frescans	8.2	9
19	Uisge Beathas v Crunchers	7.9	8
20	Royal Special	7.4	7
21	Christmas Special	7.8	6
22	Books Special	7.4	7
23	BBC Special	7.3	6
24	Transatlantic Special	7.6	7
25	Single Special	7.9	7
26	Sound Special	7.1	8
27	Champions Special	7.6	7
28	Too Many Cookes v Tea Totallers	7.5	8
29	Cat Cows v Sprouters	7.7	10
30	Al Frescans v Four Opinions	7.9	8
31	Bloomsbury Group v Crunchers	7.6	7
32	Introverts v Tea Totallers	7.4	7
33	Semi Final - Four Opinions v Cat Cows	7.4	7
34	Semi-Final - Tea Totallers v Crunchers	7.6	7
35	Third Place Play-Off	7.7	7
36	The Final	7.8	9

Season 21 (2025)

7.77 avg 32 episodes 7.7 → 8.4 29 min avg

Rebound

Season 21 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Whitley Baes v Caraxians	7.7	9
2	Oh No They Didn't v Pear Trees	8.0	9
3	Metrophiles v Grapevines	8.0	8
4	5ks v Showstoppers	8.1	8
5	Scanners v Worker Bees	7.9	8
6	Pitchers v Benchwarmers	7.6	7
7	Jive Bunnies v Sorcerers	7.4	7
8	Doctors Matthews v Keyboard Worriers	7.9	7
9	Pear Trees v Caraxians	7.7	7
10	5ks v Grapevines	8.0	7
11	Scanners v Benchwarmers	7.8	8
12	Jive Bunnies v Keyboard Worriers	7.6	7
13	Whitley Baes v Oh No They Didn't	7.6	7
14	Metrophiles v Showstoppers	8.0	8
15	Pitchers v Worker Bees	7.6	7
16	Doctors Matthews v Sorcerers	8.0	7
17	5ks v Showstoppers	8.0	8
18	Pear Trees v Whitley Baes	8.0	7
19	Keyboard Worriers v Sorcerers	7.5	6
20	Benchwarmers v Worker Bees	7.5	6
21	5ks v Oh No They Didn't	7.7	6
22	Metrophiles v Whitley Baes	7.7	6
23	Pitchers v Sorcerers	7.2	6
24	Pub Quiz	9.0	7
25	Christmas Special: Whitcombes v Gardners	7.4	5
26	Doctors Matthews v Worker Bees	7.5	6
27	Law Special: Cartophiles v Harmonics	8.0	6
28	Third-Place Play-Off Play-Off Special: Poptimists v Ramblers	7.0	5
29	Metrophiles v 5ks	7.4	5
30	Pitchers v Worker Bees	7.8	5
31	Third Place Play-Off	7.6	5
32	Final	8.4	5

Season 22 (2026)

8.08 avg 6 episodes Still airing 8.0 → 8.0 29 min avg

Season 22 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Culture Club v Makeweights	8.0	7
2	Two Hearts v Ad Astra	8.2	6
3	Sinistrals v Merseyside Eyes	8.2	6
4	Frenemies v Marvins	8.3	7
5	Double Features v Colonial Geese	7.8	6
6	Accrual World v Knitwits	8.0	5